Ezekiel 47:20 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Ezekiel 47:20 kjv
The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.
Ezekiel 47:20 nkjv
"The west side shall be the Great Sea, from the southern boundary until one comes to a point opposite Hamath. This is the west side.
Ezekiel 47:20 niv
"On the west side, the Mediterranean Sea will be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo Hamath. This will be the western boundary.
Ezekiel 47:20 esv
"On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.
Ezekiel 47:20 nlt
"On the west side, the Mediterranean itself will be your border from the southern border to the point where the northern border begins, opposite Lebo-hamath.
Ezekiel 47 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 34:6 | "And as for the western border, you shall have the Great Sea and its coastline; this shall be your western border." | Defines the Great Sea as the west border. |
| Num 34:7-8 | "This shall be your northern border... to Lebo-hamath..." | Hamath marks the northern border in early commands. |
| Jos 1:4 | "From the wilderness and Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates... until the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory." | The Great Sea defines the west extent of the land. |
| Jos 9:1 | "...kings... in the hill country and in the lowland and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon..." | Acknowledges the Great Sea as the western coastal line. |
| Jos 13:5 | "...all the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath." | Northern extent to Lebo-hamath reiterated. |
| Exo 23:31 | "And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River..." | Broader promise of land, incl. "Sea of Philistines" (Great Sea). |
| Deut 11:24 | "Every place where you set your foot shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the River, the river Euphrates, as far as the Western Sea." | The Western Sea (Great Sea) marks the ultimate west boundary. |
| 1 Ki 8:65 | "...Solomon and all Israel... from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt..." | Historical border achievement by Solomon. |
| 2 Ki 14:25 | "He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah..." | King Jeroboam II's temporary restoration of these borders. |
| Isa 27:12 | "In that day from the River Euphrates to the Brook of Egypt the Lord will thresh..." | Future gathering from traditional boundary markers. |
| Eze 47:15 | "This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea toward Hethlon, to the entrance of Hamath..." | The larger context, northern border description. |
| Eze 47:19 | "The south side also, from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh..." | The larger context, southern border description. |
| Eze 48:1 | "Now these are the names of the tribes: From the northern border, from the sea by the way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath..." | Reinforces the northern limit using the sea and Hamath. |
| Gen 15:18 | "...I give this land... from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates." | Initial expansive promise of the land to Abraham. |
| Num 13:21 | "...went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, toward Lebo-hamath." | Early reconnaissance acknowledging the northern reach. |
| Amos 6:14 | "For behold, I will raise up against you, O house of Israel, a nation that shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah." | God's judgment affecting the whole traditional extent of the land. |
| Jdg 3:3 | "...Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath." | People dwelling in the northern border regions. |
| Zec 9:2 | "Hamath also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful." | Mentions Hamath in prophecies related to its neighbors. |
| Zec 9:10 | "His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth." | Messianic reign transcending initial geographical bounds. |
| Ps 72:8 | "May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!" | Messianic hymn echoing Zech 9:10's expanded dominion. |
| Rom 4:13 | "For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world..." | Spiritual expansion of land promise to encompass the whole world. |
| Heb 4:9 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God." | The concept of an ultimate, spiritual rest (land/inheritance). |
| Rev 21:1 | "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." | Vision of ultimate eternal state, implying transformed 'boundaries'. |
Ezekiel 47 verses
Ezekiel 47 20 meaning
Ezekiel 47:20 defines the western boundary of the visionary land of Israel. It explicitly states that the Great Sea, identified as the Mediterranean Sea, will serve as the western border. This border stretches from a point defined by the previous and subsequent boundary markers, specifically implying its course as far north as the vicinity of "the entrance of Hamath," which signifies the north-westernmost extent of the ideal territory.
Ezekiel 47 20 Context
Ezekiel chapter 47 is a pivotal section within Ezekiel's prophetic vision, occurring after the detailed blueprints of the new temple (chapters 40-46). This chapter describes a life-giving river flowing from the temple, transforming the desert into fertile land and bringing life to the Dead Sea. Following this, the chapter outlines the specific and precise boundaries of the land to be allotted among the twelve tribes of Israel in the restored kingdom. The meticulous delineation of borders, including Ezekiel 47:20 for the western side, underscores the divine order and God's sovereign restoration of His people to their inherited territory, purified and sanctified. Historically, defining boundaries was crucial for identity, legal claim, and resource distribution. This detailed listing reaffirms the covenant promises for an idealized future. Culturally, established geographical markers like "The Great Sea" and "Hamath" provided the original audience with concrete references to comprehend the territorial scope, anchoring the spiritual vision in tangible earthly understanding, even as the details point to an ideal, perhaps even eschatological, land.
Ezekiel 47 20 Word analysis
- וּגְבוּל־יָם (u-gevul-yam):
- וּ (u-): Conjunction "and", linking this verse to the preceding boundary descriptions.
- גְבוּל (gevul): Hebrew for "boundary," "border," or "territory." It signifies a distinct demarcation line. Its usage here emphasizes the definitive nature of this edge of the land.
- יָם (yam): Hebrew for "sea," specifically here referring to the west direction, often indicated by the sea's location in Israel. Hence, "sea-boundary" or "western boundary."
- וּמִיָּם הַגָּדוֹל (umiyyam haggadol):
- וּמִיָּם (umiyyam): "And from the sea." The prefixed 'מִן' (min) means "from" or "of," reinforcing that the Great Sea itself forms the boundary.
- הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol): "The Great." Adjective meaning large, great.
- הַיָּם הַגָּדוֹל (ha-yam hag-gadol): This is the consistent biblical name for the Mediterranean Sea. It indicates the vast expanse of water to the west of Israel, serving as a natural, prominent, and divinely established physical border. Its greatness signifies its immutable nature as a boundary.
- עַד נֹכַח (ʿad nokhah):
- עַד (ʿad): Hebrew preposition meaning "until," "as far as," or "up to." It sets the extent of the border.
- נֹכַח (nokhah): "Opposite," "in front of," or "in the presence of." This term is significant; it doesn't say "to Hamath" itself, which is inland, but "opposite" the "entrance of Hamath." This implies the coastal region that aligns with the northern marker of Hamath. It's a geographical reference point rather than a destination.
- לְבֹוא חֲמָת (leʾvo Hamat):
- לְבֹוא (leʾvo): "To the entering of" or "entrance." It literally means "coming" or "entrance." Combined with Hamath, it means "the way to Hamath" or "the approaches to Hamath."
- חֲמָת (Hamat): A major ancient city located on the Orontes River, far north in Syria (modern Hama). It frequently serves in biblical texts as a recognized geographical marker for the ideal or claimed northern extent of Israelite territory (e.g., Num 34:8).
- זֹאת יֶרֶךְ יָם (zot yerekh yam):
- זֹאת (zot): "This" or "this one," referring back to the previously described boundary.
- יֶרֶךְ (yerekh): Literally "thigh" or "loins," but often used metaphorically for a "side," "flank," or "region." Here it precisely denotes the "side" or "direction."
- יָם (yam): "Sea," again representing the west. So, "this is the west side." It clearly defines this description as belonging to the western border.
- Words-group Analysis:
- "The Great Sea until opposite the entrance of Hamath": This phrase precisely delimits the length of the western border. The "Great Sea" is the boundary line itself, and its extent along that line is specified from the existing north and south markers (implied, established elsewhere in chapter 47) up to the latitude aligning with "the entrance of Hamath." This combines a natural geographic feature (the sea) with a distant landmark (Hamath) to set a clear, expansive northern reach for the divinely given territory.
- "This is the west side": This concluding affirmation ensures there is no ambiguity about which border is being described. It clearly ties the Great Sea and the Hamath marker specifically to the western delineation of the ideal land.
Ezekiel 47 20 Bonus section
The repeated use of geographical markers like "the Great Sea" and "Hamath" throughout the Pentateuch, Joshua, Kings, and the Prophets underscores the consistency of God's covenant promises regarding the land. Even when Israel failed to fully occupy these lands historically, the prophetic visions like Ezekiel's continually reaffirm these idealized borders. This consistency reinforces the idea of God's unfailing plan, pointing to a future fulfillment beyond any past shortcomings. This vision is seen by many scholars not merely as a blueprint for a future earthly state of Israel but also as symbolic of a broader, perfected spiritual reality that culminates in the New Covenant and the eternal state, where God's people find their complete and unbounded inheritance in Christ. The clear definition of physical space in Ezekiel provides a tangible anchor for understanding the ultimate, spiritual inheritance which knows no earthly limits.
Ezekiel 47 20 Commentary
Ezekiel 47:20 definitively marks the western limit of the land in the prophetic vision, establishing the Great Sea (Mediterranean) as its natural and unchanging frontier. This boundary extends northwards to an alignment opposite "the entrance of Hamath," a traditional northern geographical marker in ancient Israelite land descriptions. This detail isn't just about geography; it carries profound theological significance. The unchanging Great Sea signifies God's immutable decrees for His people's inheritance. The precise demarcation, echoing earlier covenant promises, emphasizes God's sovereign design for the restored land, a place of peace, and flourishing defined by His divine boundaries, secure against external claims. The mention of Hamath highlights the expansive nature of this restored territory, reflecting the generous scope of God's grace for a purified Israel, transcending previous historical limitations.